Simplify Your Life with a
Makeup Organizer

By creating a makeup organizer, you can simplify your morning routine and take the hassle out of getting ready. To do this, you'll need to:

• Buy storage boxes and baskets
• Get rid of old makeup and empty containers
• Regularly clean your brushes and applicators for health and safety
• Categorize and store your makeup

Most women are constantly on the go. You're busy from the moment you wake up until your head hits the pillow. Undoubtedly, it can be extremely irritating to start the day wasting time searching for the makeup and personal care items that you need to get yourself ready and out the door. If you're sick and tired of rummaging through tubes, bottles, and containers to find your favorite lipstick or mascara, you need a an organizer for your makeup to simplify your morning routine.

An organizer for your makeup doesn't have to be a caddy designed specifically for this purpose. In fact, all you really need to do is come up with a system of your own for easy access to the items you use most often. To create your makeup organizer, it may be helpful to buy a compartment-ed plastic storage box, or a series of smaller boxes, trays, or baskets. To help you decide what to buy, take stock of your makeup and the space where your makeup will be stored and tailor your purchases around the size and configuration of the space. A drawer, shelf, vanity, or counter top in the area where you get ready in the morning is usually the best place to keep your makeup.

Now that you've got the components of your makeup organizer system in place, gather up all of the makeup. Begin by sorting through and throwing away anything that is more than a year old. While it might be tough to throw out some of your favorite items, realize that makeup and bacteria are good friends, and health comes first. You can always get a new product in the same color to replace the old one you tossed.

See the section on cosmetics in bathroom organization for an extensive list of cosmetics and their typical shelf life.

Next, you'll want to clean all your brushes and applicators. These also keep company with bacteria, so it's important to clean them regularly. I like to fill a clean plastic container with warm soapy water. I use this plastic container for cleaning makeup brushes only. Use baby shampoo or regular shampoo to clean your makeup brushes. Swish them around in the warm sudsy water, then rinse under clean water. Squeeze the water out of the brushes and shake them out and let air dry. Next, sharpen any pencils, toss empty bottles, and make sure all of the compacts and covers are properly closed to avoid creating a mess with blush, skin powder, and eye shadow.

Now you're ready to sort the items according to how they are used. Keep all of your eye makeup in one box or compartment, all of your lip products in another, and foundations, blushes, and other skin care products in yet another. If you like, you can further organize by color, but its entirely up to you.

Next you'll want to create a makeup organizer you can keep in your purse for quick touch-ups. I keep blotting papers, lipstick and liner, Chapstick, gum, tissues, and a small comb or pick.

Here's a selection of cute makeup organizers to keep all your goodies organized and ready to go.

Once you complete the process of creating your makeup organizer, you'll soon find that your morning routine goes far more quickly without the hassle of having to search for your favorite makeup. Of course, you'll still have to pick something to wear to work, but you won't waste time looking for the eye shadow that matches the great outfit you've chosen.

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